Bill limiting liability for trucking companies passes Texas House Morgan O Hanlon, The Dallas Morning News
Updated at 3:20 p.m. with additional developments.
A bill that would make it harder to successfully sue commercial trucking companies is moving forward after a series of postponements on the House floor.
According to the bill’s author, Plano Republican Jeff Leach, the legislation would create a fair framework that ensures victims in collisions involving commercial vehicles can have their day in court, while also protecting commercial motor vehicle operators from excessive lawsuits. On third reading Friday, the legislation, House Bill 19, passed 81-49.
“With passage of this bill, we will see commercial vehicle insurance rates fall in the state,” Leach promised during testimony to the House floor on Thursday.
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-Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
Each legislative session is alike – and unique in its own way. This session is more unique than most. A slow, eerie start because of the pandemic and extra security due to the January breach at the U.S. Capitol produced a Texas Capitol that was empty and quiet rather than crowded and bustling, as is usual during session. And there is only one operational entrance rather than four, with heavily armed national guardsmen and DPS officers everywhere. Things are getting somewhat back to normal now, but only somewhat.
What is similar – and all too normal – is the extensive work necessary to pass essential tort reform legislation in the face of intense opposition by the wealthy and politically powerful personal injury trial lawyers. In this session, TLR is a leader of a coalition of over 80 trade and business associations and more than 400 individual businesses – from large public companies like AT&T and UPS to small family businesses struggling to sur
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Does anyone in Texas think that conniving plaintiffs and attorneys should be allowed to cash in on fraudulent claims, aside from said plaintiffs and attorneys?
Reasonable, documented claims for actual injuries or losses suffered and remediated by reputable parties, sure. Nobody’s got a problem with that. But poorly substantiated claims and unusually high demands for compensation, no. Those cannot be tolerated.
Such practices have long been prohibited in Texas, but clever and unscrupulous persons discovered a loophole and have been exploiting it to the detriment of targeted defendants and society at large.
Nearly 20 years ago, the Texas Legislature added the “paid or incurred” statute to the state’s Civil Practice and Remedies Code, thenceforth requiring plaintiffs to document the expenses actually paid, or to be paid, for treatment received in response to injuries allegedly caused by the defendant.
Texas Bill Seeks to Reduce Large Crash Verdicts ttnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ttnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.